diff --git a/pyrit/cli/api_client.py b/pyrit/cli/api_client.py
index ac24fdf454..47d587aa4a 100644
--- a/pyrit/cli/api_client.py
+++ b/pyrit/cli/api_client.py
@@ -92,7 +92,10 @@ async def health_check_async(self) -> bool:
         try:
             client = self._get_client()
             resp = await client.get("/api/health")
-            return resp.status_code == 200
+            if resp.status_code != 200:
+                return False
+            payload = resp.json()
+            return payload.get("status") == "healthy" and payload.get("service") == "pyrit-backend"
         except httpx.ConnectError:
             return False
         except Exception:
diff --git a/tests/unit/cli/test_api_client.py b/tests/unit/cli/test_api_client.py
index 7c6341b1cb..f1b83a6c96 100644
--- a/tests/unit/cli/test_api_client.py
+++ b/tests/unit/cli/test_api_client.py
@@ -168,11 +168,22 @@ def test_get_client_raises_when_not_opened():
 
 
 async def test_health_check_returns_true_on_200(client, mock_httpx_client):
-    mock_httpx_client.get.return_value = _make_response(status_code=200)
+    mock_httpx_client.get.return_value = _make_response(
+        status_code=200,
+        json_data={"status": "healthy", "service": "pyrit-backend"},
+    )
     assert await client.health_check_async() is True
     mock_httpx_client.get.assert_awaited_once_with("/api/health")
 
 
+async def test_health_check_returns_false_for_unrelated_service(client, mock_httpx_client):
+    mock_httpx_client.get.return_value = _make_response(
+        status_code=200,
+        json_data={"status": "ok", "service": "another-service"},
+    )
+    assert await client.health_check_async() is False
+
+
 async def test_health_check_returns_false_on_non_200(client, mock_httpx_client):
     mock_httpx_client.get.return_value = _make_response(status_code=503)
     assert await client.health_check_async() is False